Synopsis
With the Korean Peninsula under Japanese rule in 1930s, many Koreans flock to Manchuria for refuge. Some become bandits, some train robbers and yet others bounty hunters. While the Weird, a notorious train robber, is stealing from a Japanese train crossing the Manchurian plains, he discovers a treasure map. But the map is also sought after by the Bad, a merciless gang leader. Coincidentally, the Good, a bounty hunter, is on the train, and he is after the Bad. The three engage in a spectacular chase with the Japanese Army, the Korean independence fighters, and the Chinese bandits all looking to get their hands on the prized map.

The Good, the Bad, the Weird | News

[HanCinema's Digest] Cinema Snippets2016/10/09,
Korea Portal explores why Kim Jee-woon's latest film is a unique addition to his filmography, Slash Film flags two South Korean films from the recently concluded Fantastic Fest in Austin, Pierce Conran tracks the appearance of trains in modern Korean cinema, and catch all the winners from the 2016 edition of the DMZ Korean International Documentary Film Festival,...More

[BIFF] Stars talk in Haeundae, Busan2015/10/04, Source,
In Busan, stars appear day and night. More and more stars have participated in this year's Busan International Film Festival which celebrates its 20th this year. How exciting, meeting the stars of movies in real life. The stars in Haeundae have been responding to fans' support in various ways.
The opening was hot. The opening ceremony of BIFF was held on the 1st. Although the weather was rough with gale warnings, fans gathered to see their favorite stars,...More

"Haemoo" goes to Toronto International Film Festival2014/07/22, Source,
The movie "Haemoo" has been invited to the 39th Toronto International Film Festival Gala Presentation Section, which is opening on the 4th of September.
Toronto International Film Festival is one of the top four renowned festivals to be held in the world and is one of the biggest in North America, with an influence so mighty that it's considered the bridgehead of the North American market. There are no official categories except those of the audiences alone. Only films with the highest quality and potential of being successful are chosen to be screened,...More

[HanCinema Feature] Historical Hysteria: Korean period films coming in 20142014/01/11, Joseon pirates, legends, swordsmen, angels and more coming our way in 2014...
Cinematic journeys back to Joseon and beyond have rewarded the Korean film industry with a string of profitable historical yarns, a trend that has got producers drooling with the prospect of tapping deeper into this regenerative cash cow. Recently, it's been Han Jae-rim's "The Face Reader" (9.1M admissions) that has had locals flustered and, in 2005, it was Lee Joon-ik's "The King and the Clown" that became the first Joseon-era flick to pass the 10 million admissions mark. It's big business with a cultural twist that locals enjoy supporting, international audiences love lapping up, and a trend that 2014 is keen to take advance of as a host of new retrospectives are getting raring to go,...More

[HanCinema's Blog Reel] December 20132014/01/11,
Did you miss us? Catch up on all of HanCinema's drama and film reviews, previews, features, and box office reports for the month of December right here and now!,...More

[HanCinema's Hall of Fame Review] "The Good, the Bad, the Weird": Haw Yee for Kimchi Cowboys!2013/12/28,
The lesser-spotted 'kimchi cowboy' is a serious cinematic oddity, an unusual anatopism that causes one's head to cock uncontrollably and the eyes to somehow sharpened in disbelief. Kim Ji-woon, to his credit, is a genre gypsy, a marauding mixologist who, in "The Good, the Bad, the Weird", blends and bends the spaghetti western into a fermenting pastiche of a picture. The film's bold fusion of Wild West tropes and K-comedy antics made it a local favourite (6.8 million admissions-second that year only to Kang Hyeong-cheol's "Speedy Scandal"), and once it made the festival rounds its cult status was safely secured. The film itself is narratively numbing, frustratingly fused, and a prude with its post-climax cuddling, a real scratchy quilt of a film. But when we reach for skies and surrender to the chaos of it all, life under the Manchurian sun is actually blisteringly brilliant,...More

[HanCinema's Hall of Fame] Bong Joon-ho's "Mother - 2009"2013/10/26, In the Spotlight this Week:"Mother - 2009" by Bong Joon-ho
The mother-image invokes particularly powerful emotions within us all; they are the protecting and nurturing figures that we imagine to be compassionately eternal and lovingly steadfast. In "Mother - 2009" that ideal is given a cruel existence, a scratched filmind born from the collision of untouchable family values and modern Korea's fumbling with justice and reliability. How would a widowed mother react if her only son (of 28 years) were accused of cold-blooded murder? An interesting enough thought experiment, but all-star director Bong Joon-ho challenges us further by thinking the son as mentally handicapped, another cruel test of faith for his mother-image. 'Unconditional love' seems an appropriate tool from which to start from here, it's the romantic weapon that tells us all that a mother's love is always forthcoming - like the rise and fall of the sun. "Mother - 2009" is the tragic story of that unconditional love gone awry, lost somewhere in the vast and unforgiving social space that Bong places between mother and son, between their love and shared madness,...More

[HanCinema's Box Office Review] 2013.07.26 ~ 2013.07.282013/07/29,
Despite the release of DreamWorks Animation's "Turbo" and the latest comic book film "The Wolverine", it was "Red 2" that managed to remain Korea's film of choice. Director Dean Parisot's "Red 2" claimed 666,048 admissions (25.9%) in its second weekend out, holding off a host of challengers to round out the month of July in good condition. In addition to these two Hollywood features getting stuck in, this week will also see two mammoth Korean films go head-to-head for the summer crowds and crown.
Bong Joon-ho's "Snowpiercer" and Kim Byeong-woo's "The Terror Live" are both officially released on August 1st, with the latter having already scored a sneaky 122,762 (4.9%) admissions. "The Terror Live" stars the popular Korean actor Ha Jeong-woo ("The Berlin File", "Nameless Gangster", "The Client") as a T.V. anchor that has to get back into the game when a bomb-blasting terrorist threatens Korea's capital city,...More

'Cold Eyes' Invited to Toronto Int'l Film Fest2013/07/25, Source, "Cold Eyes" has been invited to the Gala Presentations of this year's Toronto International Film Festival. The film fest, the largest of its kind in North America, will take place for 10 days from Sept. 5, drawing many moviegoers and industry figures from around the world,...More

CJ Entertainment Proudly Presents "A Werewolf Boy"2013/07/23,
Some Instincts Can Never Be Tamed ... Is It Possible He Continues to Wait for Her? Romantic Fantasy Comes to Life on DVD Aug. 13th Sometimes love can wait a lifetime in the romantic fantasy "A Werewolf Boy", captivating DVD Aug. 13 from CJ Entertainment America. An unexpected phone call summons an elderly woman, who has lost interest in life, back to Korea and the remote cottage in the countryside where she spent a tumultuous time in her youth. Memories overwhelm Suni (Park Bo-yeong) of a feral and mute orphan (Song Joong-ki) who the family took in ... only to discover that he was a creature never meant to exist,...More

[HanCinema's Film Talk] SNOWPIERCER @ 24fps2013/06/29, Bong Joon-ho's futuristic action epic "Snowpiercer" recently released a spectacular trailer to keep the saliva thick and wanting before the film's Korean release on August 1st. Here I'm going to take you through three sequences from that amazing trailer, and share some thoughts on what to expect from one of the most antcipated films of the year.
In 2004, Bong reportedly came across the French comic book Le Transperceneige and read the entire series right there in the store. He shared his enthusiasm with fellow Korean director Park Chan-wook ("Old Boy", "Stoker") whose production company Moho Films secured the rights to it the following year. The film is a transnational exhibition that boasts a number of international talents in front of and behind the camera. Korean cinematographer Hong Kyeong-pyo ("Taegukgi", "Mother - 2009", "The Good, the Bad, the Weird") and all-star Korean actor Song Kang-ho ("The Host", "Memories of Murder", "Secret Sunshine") are among an orchestra of creative personalities who brought their impressive cinematic talents into the mix,...More

[Guest Post] The Most Well-Known Korean Movies Worldwide2013/05/17,
Korean movies don't tend to get as much press as obvious places like Hollywood, Bollywood, or Japanese theater, but they still make plenty of films that gain worldwide traction. Here are a few examples of some Korean films you may even recognize,...More

[HanCinema's Film Review] "The Good, the Bad, the Weird"2013/03/15, Source,
The plot is simple enough- a mysterious treasure map is the key to the motivations behind about eight different distinct factions of individuals with their own motivations for acquiring it. There are possibly more. After a certain point it just gets really difficult to keep track of everyone in this movie, As a result, it gets to be a bit of a headache trying to keep straight which characters know what, when, and why. And it really isn't a whole lot of fun to guess why, either,...More

CJ Entertainment Proudly Presents "R2B: Return to Base" DVD2013/02/04,
Rivals on the Ground ... Allies in the Air Action-Packed Drama Starring Rain, Flying Onto DVD March 12th "... high-octane finale ..." - Los Angeles Times "... pretty swell entertainment". - Film Journal International Two pilots must set aside their differences and lead the way to rescue a comrade and prevent war in the action-packed drama "R2B: Return to Base", flying onto DVD March 12 from CJ Entertainment America,...More

Korean Filmmaker Serves Up a Schwarzenegger-style Action Film2013/01/18, Source,
Arnold Schwarzenegger finished his stint as Governator of California and is back in film! His action movie "The Last Stand" is opening in the US this week and it's his first leading role in a decade since Terminator 3. It's also a milestone film for director Kim Jee-woon. While Kim is well-known in Korea, this is his very first English language and Hollywood movie.
Official movie poster for "The Last Stand". Photo Credit: http://bit.ly/12kxDhc
Schwarzenegger plays Ray Owens, the resigned sheriff of a small town on the US-Mexican border where there's not much crime to fight. But when notorious drug cartel leader Gabriel Cortez escapes FBI custody and speeds towards Mexico with a hostage, Sheriff Owens is forced to stop him. Owens' sleepy little town is straight in the path of Cortez's escape and the scene is set for a fierce, no-holds-barred showdown,...More

[HanCinema's Film Corner] "The Dark Knight Rises" VS "The Avengers": What does it take to be number one in Korea?2012/07/21,
What kinds of films do well in Korea and who are the foreign favorites that have made waves in the past? "The Dark Knight Rises" hit Korean cinemas this past week and is hoping to possibly steal the top spot from Marvel's massively successful hit, "The Avengers", as Korea's highest grossing film of 2012. Marvel's titan sucked in 7,061,050 during its run in Korea, memorizing millions with its larger than life visual prowess as well as its grand over-arching narrative within their superhero universe. It went straight to number one and held that position for three weeks, during which it amassed an impressive 5,447,728 admissions. Can the final film in Christopher Nolan's trilogy swoop in and serious challenge "The Avengers" in the Korean market? But before I dive into this question, I first wanted to look back and see what films have been the most successful in Korea over the past five years and discover the type of films, both foreign and local, that are cashing in,...More

(42) Park Chan-wook: Director with blood-coated lens2012/07/04, Source,
Director Park Chan-wook, left, waves as he is awarded with actor Choi Min-shik for the grand prix for the film "Old Boy" during the award ceremony of the 57th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes on May 24, 2004. / Korea Times file
By Andrew Salmon Tension and violence sell, but this may not be apparent to the vast majority of fans of "hallyu", the much-discussed "Korean Wave" of pop culture that has swept outward from the shores of the peninsula since, roughly, the turn of the millennium. The two standout genres of hallyu, in sales terms, are clearly K-pop and K-soaps. Of the former, Korean management companies have come up with a winning formula, churning out a range of cute, well-trained and above all wholesome boy- and girl-bands whose appeal is very different from the rebellious, opinionated, drug-spattered figures who stagger across the stage of Western rock 'n roll. Soap is similarly sugar-coated: Most dramas are centered upon pretty boys and pretty girls in pretty clothes and pretty houses/landscapes engaging in genteel, "no-sex-please-we're-Korean" romances,...More

"Nameless Gangster" released in North America2012/03/28, Source, PREFACE
"My reason for wanting to tell a story from the '80s is because I feel that the current societal climate is very similar. About 3 years ago I got a feeling that the era of my deceased father was suddenly coming back, an era in which everyone's good will is only reserved for their own survival and well being. But like my own father, I did not see these people as selfish fools, but sympathized with them. I wanted to portray these characters not as criminals who were on the wrong side of the law, but as people who tried their best to survive and thrive despite the conditions they were in. People innately follow the times they live in and those who ride it architect the next generation. The '80s in South Korea were an incredibly volatile decade in which a single person's decision could change the direction of an entire era. Following men who lived through that decade, I wanted to show that the eighties had more dramatic appeal than any other decade. I wanted to inquire whether it was the times that were changing the people, or if it was the people that were changing the times. Most of all, I hope that the audience can laugh and identify with these men who lived like kings in the face of loyalty, betrayal, and ambition".,...More

M-Line launches Doomsday Book at EFM2012/02/16, Source,
South Korean film sales company M-Line Distribution has launched pre-sales on science fiction drama "Doomsday Book", co-directed by Kim Jee-woon and Lim Pil-seong, according to the "Screen International" market daily at the European Film Market (EFM) in Berlin.
Budgeted at US$5m, "Doomsday Book" is made up of three short stories. One is about a robot attaining enlightenment, the second is about a zombie invasion and the third about an apocalyptic meteor crashing to Earth,...More

Korean Mega War Movie Targets Pan-Asian Audience2011/12/15, Source, Kang Je-gyu's new pan-Asian movie "My Way" premieres on Dec. 22. Kang, who drew over 10 million spectators with the clunking history epic "Taegukgi" in 2004, is now hoping for Asia-wide success with the biggest budget and the most ambitious scale in many years.
The movie portrays the tragic destiny of two young men, one from Korea and the other from Japan, who are drafted into the Japanese Army during World War II and later have to fight in Soviet and German uniform. The movie is very loosely based on a true story,...More

Four leading Korean directors working on overseas projects2011/11/21, Source, By JU Sung Chul
With leading Korean directors Park Chan-wook, Bong Joon-ho, Kim Jee-woon and Ryoo Seung-wan all working on overseas productions, journalist JU Sung Chul examines the details of their projects for "Korean Cinema Today"
The year 2012 looks like it will see an unprecedented rush of Korean directors working onforeign projects. This phenomenon seems similar to the situation back in the late 1990s when Hong Kong directors John WOO, Ringo LAM, TSUI Hark, Kirk WONG and Ronny YU all directed films produced in Hollywood.What's different is that whereas they were inclined to make films only in Hong Kong's specialty genre - the action film, their Korean counterparts are expected to make films that will retains the directors' varyingstyles and sensibilities. Park Chan-wook's "Stoker" and Kim Jee-woon's "The Last Stand" are produced by Hollywood-based companies while Bong Joon-ho's "Snowpiercer" and Ryoo Seung-wan's "In Berlin" (working title) are to be co-productions,...More

Korean film industry makes Declaration for the Normalization for Online Film Distribution2011/08/02, Source, by KOFIC staff
The Korean Film Council (KOFIC), the Korea Movie and Video Industry Association (KMVIA) and the Korean Film Producers Association led 108 companies and organizations in a Declaration for the Normalization for Online Film Distribution on July 27.
The declaration called for online service providers to stop the illegal circulation of films. It also demanded they stop indirect technical protection of piracy and the omission of legal sales figures. It strongly demanded they adhere to guidelines for the normalization of online copyright protection. Lastly, the declaration warned online service providers that the film industry would, in collaboration, henceforth take strict and rigorous action if they did not,...More

Sunny opening in more US theaters Friday2011/07/25, Source,
By Lee Hyo-won
"Sunny - 2010", the highest grossing domestic film of the first half of the year, is set to open in more U.S. theaters on Friday, its distributor CJ E&M Pictures said Tuesday.
The retro drama, which drew more than 7 million viewers during its 12th week in the local box office, has been showing across screens in Los Angeles and Torrance, Calif. since last Friday and will be released Friday in theaters in New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Virginia, Washington D.C., Seattle, Texas and Hawaii,...More

Sunny draws 7 million viewers2011/07/20, Source,
The 1980s retro drama "Sunny - 2010" drew more than 7 million viewers as of Tuesday, according to the film's distributor Showbox/Mediaplex, since opening in theaters 11 weeks ago on May 4.
The movie, directed by Kang Hyeong-cheol, is the 12th local franchise to attract such numbers since "May 18" drew in 7.3 million viewers in 2007,...More

Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival to sail with "The Yellow Sea"2011/07/07, Source,
by KOFIC
One of the world's leading genre film festivals, the 44th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia has made an early selection announcement which includes Korean director Na Hong-jin's action thriller "The Yellow Sea".
The Sitges festival previously screened Na's debut feature The Chaser in 2008. The serial killer thriller was a much-lauded film that made Na's second feature, "The Yellow Sea "(a.k.a. The Murderer), one of the most highly anticipated films of 2010,...More

'Theater makes me feel alive' 2011/02/01, Source,
Actor Oh Dal-soo is set to return to his theater roots in the original "Sunset, Moon Dance" this month in Daehangno, central Seoul. / Courtesy of Eda Entertainment
Oh Dal-soo to portray fatherhood in return to roots
By Chung Ah-young
When actor Oh Dal-soo played a private jail owner who detains the male protagonist in Park Chan-wook's "Old Boy", he left his impression on one of the film's most memorable scenes,...More

[PIFF] Interview - Director Kim Jee-woon (Part 1)2010/10/22, Source,
Director Kim Jee-woon [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]
How will the year 2010 be remembered for director Kim Jee-woon? "I Saw the Devil", which went into shoot after "The Good, the Bad, the Weird", was the first film Kim did not write himself and was so tough on him psychologically that he said he drove himself to the extreme. Then the film he had completed said made him "jump around in craziness" by receiving restricted screening rating twice. And the movie which was finally released after going through so much ups and downs, received drastically split response. "I Saw the Devil", which had been cut here and there, met with the audience in its whole form at the 15th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF). 10Asia met with Kim Jee-woon who visited Busan with his proper devil. * This article contains spoilers,...More

[PIFF] Interview - Director Kim Jee-woon (Part 2)2010/10/22, Source,
Director Kim Jee-woon [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]
10: Then what were Soo-hyun's tears in the end about? Pity for himself for having become the devil?Kim Jee-woon: Probably several things. The pleasure over having completed his revenge as well as a sense of shame and self-destructedness from thoughts like 'Why did I become this? Why did such a life have to come upon me?' The tears could have come from pity or the emptiness that comes from the end of a tough revenge. 10: Opposite from the dejected feeling that such revenge gave, your unique sense of humor in particular stood out in “I Saw the Devil.” To the extent that it seems foreign. For example, when Gyeong-cheol runs into soldiers or only the handle of the door gets pulled out when Tae-joo tries to pull out the awl that's stuck in his hand. Your sense of humor is displayed in the movie to the extent that one could call you stubborn. (laugh)Kim Jee-woon:,...More

Kang Dong-won says "wants the power to teleport" 2010/10/18, Source,
Actor Ko Soo speaks to reporters during a press conference for film "Haunters" held at a Megabox theater in Dongadaemun of Seoul, South Korea on October 18, 2010. [Park Sung-ki/Asia Economic Daily]
Korean actor Kang Dong-won has said that he would want the ability to teleport to outer space although in the past, he wanted to have the power to control people's minds as his character does in his upcoming film "Haunters",...More

"Reign of Assassins" to open in theaters on October 142010/08/26, Source,
John Woo film "Reign of Assassins"
Upcoming John Woo movie "Reign of Assassins" will be opening in local theaters on October 14, according to the film's importer Sane Company Inc. on Thursday.
"Assassins", starring top Korean actor Jeong Woo-seong and Chinese actress Michelle Yeoh, is about an ordinary postman (Jeong) with extraordinary martial arts skills. Yeoh will be playing a skilled female assassin and the two come together to fight off a gang and return the ashes of a mystical Buddhist monk,...More

"I Saw the Devil" to compete at San Sebastian film fest2010/08/24, Source,
Movie poster of thriller "I Saw the Devil" [Showbox]
Korean thriller "I Saw the Devil" has been invited to compete under the Official Selection category at the 58th Edition of the San Sebastian International Film Festival next month, according to official website of the fest on Tuesday.
"I Saw the Devil", helmed by famed Korean director Kim Jee-woon, will be competing against 16 other movies by internationally recognized directors for the Golden Shell and Silver Shell awards at the fest to be held at San Sebastian, Spain from September 17 to 25,...More

Lee Byung-hun says "'I Saw the Devil' makes you think of what you get out of revenge"2010/08/19, Source,
Korean actor Lee Byung-hun [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]
The latest movie "I Saw the Devil" is not this year's best picture. However, it is certain that "I Saw the Devil” is the year's most controversial picture. Throughout the movie there are many brutal scenes combined with director Kim Jee-woon's unique sense of humor, which has been receiving mixed reviews from the Korean film industry. Along with the results of the movie, one may wonder why actor Lee Byung-hun chose this project. Why would Lee, who has successfully made his debut into Hollywood, make a choice that is dangerous as a commercial film? 10Asia sat with Lee to ask him that question. 10: What is your thoughts on "I Saw the Devil?" I heard you were quite shocked after seeing the final production of the movie during the screening. Lee Byung-hun (Lee): It's not to the point where I was shocked. (laugh) I did feel that it was different from when I had first read the scenario because the film doesn't reveal all of the cruelty and violence. I thought that this project was unlike any other revenge film and I felt this powerful strength from just reading the script,...More

Jeong Woo-seong to advertise Guinness Beer 2010/07/22, Source,
Korean actor Jeong Woo-seong [photographed by Lee Ki-bum/Asia Economic Daily]
Korean actor Jeong Woo-seong will be lending his starpower to advertise Guinness beers, which produces world-famous dry stout beers.
This is the first time that the Irish beermaker has hired an Asian star to promote the brand, perhaps in a bid to seize Korea's alcoholic drinks market,...More

"The Housemaid" to open in U.S. theaters 2010/07/20, Source,
Official poster for Korean film "The Housemaid - 2010" [Sidus FNH]
Korean film "The Housemaid - 2010" will be shown to U.S. audiences later this year, according to the film's distributor Sidus FNH on Tuesday.
Sidus FNH announced in a press release that production company Miro Vision, which handles overseas distribution for "Housemaid", has closed a U.S. distribution deal with IFC Films on July 16 (U.S. time),...More

Jeong Woo-seong to attend Venice film fest with John Woo pic2010/06/07, Source,
Korean actor Jeong Woo-seong [Asia Economic Daily]
Korean actor Jeong Woo-seong will be making his international debut at the 67th Venice Film Festival in September through new John Woo pic "Reign of Assassins".
According to the film's importer Sane Company Inc. on Sunday, the festival committee has invited Jeong and Woo to premiere their martial arts flick at the event, which kicks off in Venice on September 1.
Woo will also be receiving a lifetime achievement award at the film fest this year, organizers said,...More

Jeong Woo-seong pic "Reign of Assassins" Korea release confirmed2010/03/10, Source,
Actor Jeong Woo-seong [Taurus Films]
Korean actor Jeong Woo-seong's international debut film "Reign of Assassins" has been confirmed to open in Korea, according to the film's distributor Sungwon I Communications on Wednesday.
Sungwon announced in a press release that the action flick, which stars the Korean actor and Chinese actress Michelle Yeoh from "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Memoirs of a Geisha", will be released in Korea in August.,...More

[INTERVIEW] Actor Song Kang-ho - Part 22010/03/04, Source,
Actor Song Kang-ho [photographed by Beck Una/10Asia]
Beck: What did you find likeable and entertaining about the script for "Secret Reunion"? Song: Ten years ago, I did the films "Shiri" and "JSA - Joint Security Area" which are both about South Korea, North Korea and men. So, "Secret Reunion" was similar to them in a way, a similar story, but the overall outline of the movie is completely different from the previous films. The film doesn't treat the South-North division as its theme but rather takes an incredibly soft, light and sophisticated approach to it. I thought that was closer to how the audience currently feels about the division and there was something lovely about a North Korean spy and a former South Korean intelligence service agent living together. I don't think I would have done the movie if it dealt seriously about the division at times like now.
Beck:But didn't you choose to do the film because of the character or the role you would get to take on?,...More

A passionate tale of lovers follows in the heels of "THE CITY HALL", the Cinderella story of public offi,...More

The 8th Mise-en-Scene Short Film Festival Opens this Week2009/06/26, Source, This year's Mise-en-scene Short Film festival will showcase a total of 120 films. The film festival whose focus is genre short films will feature films genres normally associated with feature length films. These genres include horror, fantasy, love and even action. It features 57 films in the offi,...More

CJ Ent. Makes Waves at HK FILMART2009/04/16, Source, The film sales arm of Korean major CJ Entertainment did brisk business at the Hong Kong FIILMART, closing deals on a slew of titles including pre-sales for its big-budget disaster film "Haeundae" going to Indonesia's VSG for rights over Mala,...More

AZ Works Opens Post-Production Complex in Busan2009/03/19, Source, South Korea's leading post-production company AZ Works has opened a new 4-story complex in the southern port city of Busan, home to the Pusan Int'l Film Festival. Called 'AZ Works on the Beach' the building is fully-equipped for film processing, editing, graphics and other digital post-production w,...More

Korean Master and 12 Features in Hong Kong2009/03/06, Source, One of Korean cinema's early masters and one of the most important directors of the 60s and 70s, YU Hyun-mok, 84, will receive a retrospective at the 33rd Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF). The event, which opens March 22, will feature four of the director's finest films under the title,...More

Korean Films sell well at Berlin's EFM2009/02/11, Source, Korean company Fine Cut as well as CJ Entertainment can both claim success at this years EFM in the Berlin Film Festival. Fine Cut leads the pack selling 11 films alone to one company, Scandinavia's Non Stop Television. It also sold gay themed,...More

Seoul Theaters to Show Subtitled Korean Movies2009/02/10, Source, Two or more movie theaters in Seoul will show newly released Korean films with English subtitles to cater to the growing foreign population here, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Monday. The subtitled movies will be screened at least 10 times a day to facilitate foreigners' understanding,...More

That special time of the year has come around, when South Korea's top filmmakers and actors turn into film festival programmers. The 4th Cinematheque Friends Film Festival will take place Jan. 29-March 1 in Seoul, and director,...More

Fajr Film Fest Hosts Korean Retrospective
2009/01/14, Source, Iran's major annual film event, the 27th Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF), held in Tehran, will showcase a retrospective of contemporary Korean films. 13 features produced from the years 2000 through 2008 will screen in the Persian capital, January 30 to February 10, 2009.

(Culture Zone) - 2008 Recap & Outlook2009/01/02, Source, "Doom and gloom" would be the right words to describe the culture scene in Korea last year ravaged by the global economic crisis that has affected practically every corner of the country.

The effects of the economic downturn were especially apparent in the Korean film industry.
There was little,...More

The New Year has finally set in, with much anticipation that it will be a year filled with blessings.

The year 2009 is the Year of the Ox, according to Chinese astrology. The ox is the second animal in the zodiac and often associated with honesty, faithfulness,...More

Korean Hits on U.S. International Watch List2008/12/31, Source, Two of South Korea's top box office winners for 2008 have made it into the International Watch List, a survey of the American film industry's favorite foreign films from the past year. The list is put together based on votes from over 50 US film executives. Director,...More

Korean directors picked actor Ha Jeong-woo and actress Kong Hyo-jin as the Best Actor and Best Actress for the 11th Director's CUT Awards 2008.,...More

2008 packed surprises2008/12/11, Source, Data released by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) on December 2, revealed a number of modest budgeted films in the top five of most successful films in 2008. However, the list is lead by the big budget blockbuster ",...More

Korea Film Awards Honor Year's Bests2008/12/04, Source, The 7th Korea Film Awards honored the year's top filmmakers Thursday night. In a ceremony held at Sejong Cultural Center and aired on MBC this year's hit "The Chaser" came away with the most number of awards. A chilling story about a merci,...More

Blue Dragon Award Goes to Sports Drama2008/11/21, Source, The 2008 Blue Dragon Awards chose a sports drama about the silver medal-winning Korean women handball Olympic team as the best movie of the year. In the award ceremony at the KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seou,...More

The 13th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) closed Friday with the premiere of the South Korean film "I Am Happy" directed by,...More

Curtain falls on Pusan film fest2008/10/09, Source, The 13th Pusan International Film Festival, which featured 315 films from 60 countries, will wrap up its nine-day run today in the southeastern port city of Busan with the closing film "I Am Happy", directed by Korean filmmaker,...More

Movie Audience Falls in August 2008/09/04, Source, A lack of summer blockbusters has apparently driven down the number of moviegoers for the month of August, traditionally a month registering strong box office figures. Korea's multiplex movie theater chain CJ CGV announced Thursday that less than 17 million people nationwide went to see a movie in A,...More

The word "tecktonik" is a combination of the words "techno" and "electronic". It refers to a music and dance genre featuring unique hand moves. Tecktonik blends the elements of electronic music, a powerful repetitive beat and disco music. The unique dance moves are the main d,...More

The movie theater always provides escapism, and can be a haven ― air-conditioned and entertaining ― from the sultry summer heat. But don't hide from the sun ― why not enjoy a break filled with cinema,...More

Korean Movies' Popularity Rebounds This Summer2008/08/06, Source, The number of movie-goers in July jumped more than 21 percent compared to the previous month to 17-and-a-half million.
Korean movies in particular accounted for half of total screenings nationwide last weekend.
That's a rebound from their record low of 7 percent in May.
Korean-style Western movie,...More

'Mummy' has Korean box office all wrapped up2008/08/05, Source, "The Mummy: The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor", one of Hollywood's summer blockbusters, sold 2 million tickets in the five days since its release, its local distributor UIPKorea said yesterday.

Jeong Woo-seong on Being 'Good'2008/07/28, Source, There he stood, oblivious to passers-by staring at him. One hand resting on the door, looking up with a faint smile, he looked ineffably cool -- rather than "good" in his new movie.

South Korean movies continue to make their way around the globe to vie for prizes and reach a wider audience. Some notable trips to international film festivals include feted director Kim Ki-duk's latest work More

With five titles screening in various sections of the festival including Kim Jee-woon's ",...More

Five Korean films join Cannes fest2008/05/15, Source, The 61st Cannes Film Festival has kicked off with fanfare, spicing up the festive mood for moviegoers all around the world. The ebullient mood remains largely the same here in Korea, but one thing is palpably different: There's no chance for a Korean movie or actor grabbing an award in the competiti,...More

Cine 21 Names CJ's KIM Joo-seong Most Influential2008/04/22, Source, Local film weekly magazine, Cine 21, provided its annual list of the most powerful players in the Korean film industry, with CJ Entertainment president KIM Joo-seong at the top for the first time. With the industry taking a downturn last year, CJ Ent. has grown to become the key investor and distri,...More

CGV Multiplex to Offer Subtitled Screenings2008/01/30, Source, CJ-CGV, one of the top three exhibition chains in Korea, will devote a screen at its central-Seoul multiplex in the Yongsan Station shopping center to the exclusive showing of domestic films with English subtitles. The long-term project is a team strategy between CGV and local powerhouse studio CJ,...More

Retro movies rediscover colonial era2008/01/28, Source, Gyeongseong is emerging as a popular background for Korean films, reflecting the public's recent penchant for retro style, and filmmakers' newfound interest in the Japanese colonial period -- evidence of their quest for fresh characters and themes.

Upon the spirits of the New Year 2008, the Korean films are preparing a big counterblow against the Hollywood films. One after another, the talented veteran directors are coming back with a huge bag of New Year's surprises for the movie fans.

Korean filmmakers bet on large-scale projects2008/01/03, Source, Many local movie productions suffered setbacks last year, due to increased costs and the strengthened position of Hollywood blockbusters. In 2008, leading filmmakers are betting on large-scale projects to turn things around for the embattled local film industry.

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